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Contrasting coaches to meet in battle of undefeated teams
HAMILTON For the first time in nearly 20 years, two undefeated team will square off to decide Canadian university football supremacy. Perfect records however, are just about the only thing the second-ranked University of Saskatchewan Huskies and the third-ranked Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks will have in common as they take the field this Saturday at 3:00 pm at Hamilton's Ivor Wynne Stadium in the Desjardins Vanier Cup.
The Huskies, based mostly on history and experience, are the heavy favourites. While the Hawks will be making their first trip to the finals since 1991, Saskatchewan is making their third appearance in four years and their eighth trip since 1989. The fact that they have lost their last two championship games will make the Big Green Machine even more determined.
This isn't to say that the game will be a cakewalk. If Saskatchewan is the Goliath in this match-up, Wilfrid Laurier is surely David, ready to defeat all odds and slay the behemoth. Since coming off a 1-7 season three years ago, the Hawks are an unbelievable 22-1-0-1 in regular season play.
The turnaround can be traced back to the hiring of head coach Gary Jeffries who has now compiled a sparkling 29-3-0-1 record (playoffs included) since assuming control of the floundering team in 2003. Jeffries will be making his first trip to the Vanier Cup.
Opposing him is one of the most successful and experienced coaches in Canadian university football history. Brian Towriss will be coaching in his eighth cup game (a CIS record) and his three titles rank him second all-time, just one fewer than the record held by Peter Connellan. In his 22 years patrolling the sidelines, Towriss has racked up 134 wins, 78 losses and one tie (playoffs included). According to Towriss, the continuity in the coaching staff has played a big role in his team's success. His current coaching staff has been together for 15 seasons.
Hawks coach Gary Jeffries has been associated with the Laurier football program for 28 years but he only took over the reins as head coach three years ago. His remarkable success since then suggests that he may be there for many years to come.
It also means that despite all their experience, these Huskies better not take the Hawks lightly or else they could be looking at three Vanier Cup disappointments in four years and comparisons with the Buffalo Bills of the NFL who lost three consecutive trips to the Super Bowl in the 1990s.
No matter the outcome, a great team will be crowned champions on Saturday, the only question is will it be the up-and-coming team of the moment from Waterloo, or the experienced team of the decade from Saskatoon?
(Source: Marc Bartschat, Special to the DVC)
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